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A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. Acts 23:6
The Greek word for Sadducees is Saddoukaios which was a follower of a certain heretical Israelite and a member of a Jewish religious sect. Sadducees, who distinguished from birth, wealth, and official position and were not averse to the favor of the Herod family and of the Romans the common people, were the opponents of the Pharisees and rejected tradition while acknowledging the authority of the Old Testament alone in matters pertaining to faith and morals. They denied not only the resurrection of the body but also the immortality of the soul and future retribution. So Paul is aware of this so he tells them he is a Pharisee and the son of one, and also he is being called into question because of the hope and resurrection of the dead. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit but the Pharisees confess both. What a brilliant move by Paul to tell them this, so there arose a great cry and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose and strove to say, We find no evil in this man but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. So we see how the Lord God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Rom. 8:28
#Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? Acts 23:3
The Greek word for smite is Typto which means to strike or beat. A primary verb; is to thump, i.e. Cudgel or pummel with a stick or bastinado but in any case by repeated blows. This was against the teaching of the Law and Paul immediately said he was a whited wall. We get the Greek word Koniao which means to plaster over. That is exactly what the Lord God will do to Ananias for having him smitten. The Bible says the righteous are as bold as a lion, and that is why Paul was not afraid to respond with such a rebuke. Only God can sit in judgment of us righteously who has all the truth and can thus judge fairly. Paul has come a long way as he was once a persecutor of the Church, but now he is saved, sanctified, and will be glorified when the Lord calls him home. When we fear God, that leaves no man left for us to fear. Paul knows his help comes from the Lord and He will not abandon him to the lions. And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. So Paul was not aware he was the high priest so he did not intend to speak evil of him. This is a lesson in humility as Paul is willing to admit that he should not have called him a whited wall. We must be angry and sin not. Therefore, we must be at peace with all men and walk in holiness, for without holiness no man will see the Lord. So the next time you are tempted to speak evil of the leader of your people, guard thy tongue which is full of deadly poison.
#And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. Acts 23:1
The Greek word for council is Synedrion which is a sitting together of the Sanhedrin; a joint session, i.e., the Jewish Sanhedrin; by analogy, a subordinate tribunal. The more important causes were brought before this tribunal, inasmuch as the Roman rulers of Judaea had left to it the power of trying such cases and also pronouncing sentence of death, with the limitation that a capital sentence pronounced by the Sanhedrin was not valid unless it was confirmed by the Roman procurator. John 18:11 As that is exactly what happened to the Lord Jesus and He told the disciples that they would indeed be baptized with the same baptism that He had suffered. And so the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by Paul, to smite him on the mouth. This shows how prejudiced this council is against Paul, and he was indeed offended by their actions. When we stand before a court of Law we expect justice, but there is often no justice for Christians standing before this Sanhedrin. Thank God that the Lord Jesus is our defense attorney and He stands beside us when we are accused by the devil. Jesus pleads the blood that was shed on the cross for the remission of our sins. So we are overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony.
#Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him and the chief captain also was afraid after he knew that he was a Roman and because he had bound him. Acts 22:29
The Greek word for afraid is Phobeomai which means to put to flight, to terrify. From Phobos; to frighten, i.e. to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of. So the captain was in awe of Paul knowing that he was a Roman citizen who was not condemned by the law, and they had bound him, which was against the Roman law. And thus he was in fear for his life from harm or injury. Matt 10:31 To reverence, or venerate, to treat with deference therefore he had reverential obedience to obey the law and set Paul free. On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear and brought Paul down and set him before them. What a mighty God we serve for angels bow down before Him, and heaven and earth adore Him. Let us praise God for His mighty deliverance for He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. So the next time you find yourself in trouble with the law, do not run, for you or innocent until proven guilty by a court of your peers. The American Jurisprudence System is based on this same standard therefore hold your peace and when the Holy Spirit gives you the wisdom to speak, then speak the truth in love.
#And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned? Acts 22:25
The Greek word for thongs is Himas which is a strap, i.e. (especially) the tie of a sandal or the lash of a scourge or latchet. So it was that Paul was secured by these latchets or thongs. In the New-Testament thongs were used to bind captives or criminals. So Paul asks the question is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman and uncondemned? Since he knew that Paul was a Roman citizen this was not lawful for them to treat him this way since he had not been condemned for a crime. And when the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, with a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, but I was born free. What a blessing how the Lord used his citizenship to bring about the testimony of his conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ. For when we are born again by placing our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ then we have duel citizenships as we become citizens of heaven.
#And they gave him audience unto this word and then lifted up their voices and said, away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. Acts 22:22
The Greek word for the audience is Akouo which means to hear, A primary verb; to give (in the) audience, to be noised, or reported. And they gave complete ear to the noise unto this word, and then they lifted up their voices in one accord towards Paul and said away with such a fellow from the earth. The Greek word for fit is Katheko which means to be proper or fitting. From Kata and Heko to i.e. becoming convenient. Romans 1:28 i.e. shameful or forbidden. And as they cried out and cast off their clothes and threw dust into the air, The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. Paul had to remember the words of the Lord Jesus when He said you are an appointed vessel to suffer great things. The scripture tells us that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all. The disciples were often beaten for preaching the gospel and went on the way rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name's sake. We too must have that same mindset as the Lord Jesus Christ and arm ourselves with the word of God so that we can suffer shame for the cause of Christ. It is appointed unto us not only to believe in Jesus but to suffer shame for His name's sake too.
#And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: Acts 22:19
The Greek word for synagogue is Synagoge which means a bringing together, an assembling of Jews formally gathered together to offer prayer and to listen to the reading and exposition of the Holy Scriptures assemblies of the sort were held every sabbath and feast-day, afterward also on the second and fifth days every week. The name is transferred to an assembly of Christians formally gathered for religious purposes. So Saul recalls that he imprisoned and beat Christians in the synagogue before his conversion. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the raiment of them that slew him. So the Lord Jesus responds depart unto me, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. What a blessing this is for the Gentiles to receive the gospel from the converted persecutor Paul. The Lord knows how to deliver the righteous out of temptation and that is what God will do for Paul to advance the gospel. I thank God for the angel of the Lord encamps all those who fear Him.
#And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me. Acts 22:18
The Greek word for haste is Speudo which means o hasten on, urge, i.e.diligently or earnestly; by implication to await eagerly... The Lord Jesus Christ knows they will not receive his testimony concerning the gospel of Christ. Saul was befuddled at these words, but he thought of his past persecutions. We have to learn to forgive ourselves as the Lord has forgiven us and cast our sins into the depths of the ocean. When you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior believe the promise that if any man is in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation; for old things are passed away and all things have become new. Not everyone will accept your testimony about the Lord and Jesus told us not to cast our pearls among swine. If you come into a house bid peace upon this house, but if they will not receive your testimony then shake the dust off as a witness against them for the day of judgment. This is why Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles and we thank the Lord for using him in a mighty way to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul would later say my heart's desire is for Israel to be saved. The good news is they will be saved at the appointed time.
#And it came to pass, that when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; Acts 22:17
The Greek word for trance is Ekstasis which means a displacement (of the mind) i.e. Bewilderment, ecstasy, or astonishment. And so it is with Saul that he has from all surrounding objects and wholly fixed on things divine that he sees nothing but the forms and images lying within and thinks that he perceives with his bodily eyes and ear the realities shown him by God. Paul would go on to have many such trances II Cor. 12:2 This was likely a premonition of the thorn in the flesh that God was going to give him for the abundance of the revelations given to him by God. What should we do when we find ourselves in a trance? Well, mental health professionals want to know if we are hearing voices and will want to put you on some kind of psychotic medicine to counter the paranoia. God does speak to us in trances and it does not mean you have a mental illness because you find yourself in a trance.
#And now why tarriest thou? arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16
The Greek word for tarriest is Mello, which means to be about to; to intend, i.e. Be about to be, do or suffer. So it is that the Lord told Saul to arise and be baptized to wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord. Baptism is the outward showing of the inward faith as it does not save you but affirms the salvation of your belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The thief on the cross was told by his faith on the cross, that this day shalt thou is with Me in Paradise. So we must be in obedience to the command to be baptized as Saul was. Our prayers go out to the people who lost their homes in the KY flooding. Truly climate change is causing fires, floods, and droughts. We need to cry out to God for salvation from these disasters that are ravishing our world. The scripture told us just before the coming of the Lord the seas and the waves would be raging and distress nations with perplexity. That is just what is happening for the problems of the world would seem to have no fix to them. Thank God that President Biden is seeking climate change regulations to control the greenhouse gases that are causing all these drastic weather disasters. Let us pray that Congress will pass them.
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